Caught In The Middle
by Skye Dominguez
Summary: Demetria Tsukamoto had dreams. The one she favored the most involved a nice house, financial stability, and her kids having a nice environment to live in. You see, Demetria's story didn't have a happy beginning. Being abused and neglected by her mother, the sixteen year old only understood pain and suffering. But that didn't mean Demetria's kids had to suffer, too.
1. Prologue

_I can't think of getting old_  
 _It only makes me want to die_  
 _And I can't think of who I was_  
 _'Cause it just makes me want to cry, cry, cry_  
 _Can't look back, can't look too far ahead_  
 _I got the point, I got the message_

-Caught In The Middle; **by Paramore**

* * *

Demetria Tsukamoto sat in her bedroom, fiddling with the dirty sheets on her bed. Her face ached and her lip stung, the feelings all too familiar for the six year old. It was, in Demetria's mind, both sad and funny how toxic her home life was. She didn't know any other kid whose mother allowed boyfriends to hurt them. Hell, as far as the six year old was concerned, any other kid in her neighborhood had both their parents. Demetria had no idea who her father was, only that she got his shaped eyes and mouth. All her other features were from her mother.

Shouts could be heard in the kitchen — dishes were being smashed. Demetria's face scrunched up at that, despite the pain and discomfort. Again, it wasn't uncommon for her mother and the boyfriends to start fighting. In fact, the six year old _expected_ it to happen. It'd be weird for a fight _not_ to take place. Letting out a sigh, Demetria pulled her sheets over her head, hoping it would muffle the sounds of the yelling and breaking. It never did, but she liked to think it would. She was just thankful she closed her door after retreating to her bedroom. Maybe her mother and the boyfriend would forget about her for a while.

The one thing Demetria liked while being under her sheets was being able to imagine. She liked to imagine that she'd be taken away and given to a newer, _better_ family. She'd have a father and a nice, loving mother, and maybe some siblings. Demetria's mother refused to have anymore children. She said she didn't like how it made her feel. Being an only child could be lonely, but Demetria knew that she'd hate to have any real younger siblings. They'd be just as miserable as her.

 _If I do get taken away,_ Demetria thought, laying down on her side, _maybe I'll have siblings who'll protect me when my new parents get mad._ *

That was a silly thought. Demetria liked to think she could take care of herself just fine. She made it to six years, didn't she? Obviously she was doing _some_ thing right.

Bringing her legs, up, Demetria tried to snuggle further into her mattress. It was stiff and uncomfortable, but she was grateful for whatever she got. Another smash in the kitchen caused her to flinch, a small whimper leaving her mouth. Demetria's mother had a bad habit of finding abusive men to date, and she never _once_ stopped to wonder about what she was doing. It was a mystery on why no one ever called authorities.

The sounds of footfalls caused Demetria to stiffen. Someone was walking down the hallway leading to her bedroom. And she was sure as _hell_ it wasn't her mother coming. The slamming of a fist against Demetria's closed door caused her to tug the sheets further over her head. Rarely ever did her mother's boyfriends approach her during an argument; it was terrifying.

"Open this door!" he screamed; his words were slurred together. Demetria already knew he was drunk. He always spent his time drinking. There was never a time where he _wasn't_. It was because of his fondness for alcohol that Demetria got all beat up. Of course, her mother didn't do anything. She couldn't be _bothered_ to interfere when it came to her daughter being beaten. "Did you hear me!?" he barked; slamming his fist harder on the door. "Open this _door_!"

"Go away!" Demetria screamed, curling herself into a ball. In her mind, if she could make herself as small as possible, then maybe he'd be able to leave her alone.

Before she even had a moment to react, the sound of Demetria's door breaking caused her breath to hitch. The smell of him filled the small bedroom very quickly. He had bad body odor, and it only got worse when alcohol was involved. When he got drunk, he'd smell like sweat and sometimes vomit. Sometimes, if he had too much, he'd smell like piss, too. There never seemed to be a time where he took actual care of himself.

Stomping and stumbling over to where Demetria was hiding, he ripped the sheets off of her head and shoved her off the bed, not at all bothered by her screams. Dragging her out of the bedroom, he pulled her down the hallway and into the kitchen. Standing in the middle, with bruises and tears in her eyes, was Demetria's mother, Arianna. Shards of glass were all over the floor, stains were on the walls — it looked like a warzone. Throwing Demetria in her mother's direction, the six year old tripped over her feet and landed on some of the broken glass. Her knees and the palms of her hands stung from contact, her face scrunching up in slight discomfort. The feeling of broken glass embedding itself into her skin didn't feel as bad as her earlier beating.

"Get up!" he screamed.

Scrambling to her feet, Demetria turned to look back at him. His brown eyes were glazed over, his hair was greasy and sticking up in every direction. Sweat stained his already filthy clothes and his breathing was labored.

"Look at this," he hissed, waving his hand around. "Look at what your mom did! _She_ made me do this!"

"You don't _have_ to involve her!" Arianna screamed. "This doesn't have _any_ thing to do with her!"

"This is _your_ fault!" he screamed, pointing to Arianna. " _Yours_!"

Demetria's eyes started to water, her bottom lip trembling. She'd never been in the middle of a fight like this before. It was the first time she ever witnessed her mother, upfront, fight with one of her boyfriends. Typically, Demetria kept herself locked in her room to stay out of the way. She'd learned early on that if they couldn't see her or hear her, they'd leave her alone. That was one of Demetria's earliest memories. But hearing her mother and the boyfriend screaming and pointing at each other, blaming each other for so many problems Demetria couldn't understand, it felt like everything was starting to crumble. The six year old could barely understand what they were saying anymore, Arianna's voice and his slurred speech were blending together into one big mess.

Breathing heavily, Demetria put her hands over her ears. She wanted to muffle the sounds. She didn't want to hear the fight. She didn't want to _see_ the fight. But she was. Fat, hot tears were rolling down Demetria's flushed face. Her body felt as though it were convulsing, that was how hard she was trembling. Her whole world felt as though it was spinning and she couldn't make heads or tails on anything that was happening. It all felt like one big nightmare. . .

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Sixteen years. That's how long Demetria had to live with her mother. That's how long she had to endure the abusive boyfriends. As a young girl, everything about the toxicity she grew up in frightened her, but now? It was normal. The drunk or doped up men were to be expected. Arianna stumbling around drunk or high herself was to be expected. Hell, Demetria even knew there'd be a chance her mother was sleeping off a drug or alcohol binge. The longest Arianna was asleep was three days.

Demetria grew up desensitizing herself from her mother's behavior, from the mens' behavior. It was easier that way. Being desensitized was probably the best way to handle the situation. That way, Demetria didn't have to deal with the fear or the overwhelming anxiety. She could just _live_. On the other hand, being _completely_ desensitized wasn't as useful as she would've wanted. Over the last two years, Demetria managed to birth two children, both from different fathers. Considering Arianna was paying little to no attention to her _own_ child, the sixteen year old started acting out.

Around fourteen years old was when Demetria started dating. Her first boyfriend was a few years older than her, and he turned out to be a complete asshole. He was unfaithful, and blamed all of the relationship's shortcomings on Demetria. The relationship ended after six months. Not even two months later, she started dating someone else. He was about seventeen, and he was able to swoop in and amaze her with his kindness and compassion.* A month and a half after the relationship, Demetria fell pregnant. He left shortly after.

The first pregnancy was probably the hardest. There were some issues that arose, some health related and others involving people. Demetria's peers judged her, spreading rumors and harsh critiques on her character. Her doctor, whenever she chose to see him, tried convincing her to abort the unborn child. She stopped seeing him after that. In Demetria's mind, the child would be dependent on her, rely on her love and attention to survive. She wanted to be a better mother than Arianna, and having that baby would be more than enough proof. When Demetria's son was born, he came with a series of hearing problems, but was otherwise healthy. Arianna could've cared less for his grandson.

Two years later, after a brief relationship with another asshole, Demetria fell pregnant again. Nine months later, she gave birth to another boy, one who came out completely healthy. Again, Arianna didn't even _care_. She barely had the time to deal with Demetria's eldest son.

But, unfortunately, that was life in the Tsukamoto household. A neglectful mother with her abusive boyfriends; a teenage mother with two young sons.

With the new additions to the household, it seemed as though the toxicity would only get worse.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

It was early morning, and Demetria's alarm went off, but she was already awake. Arianna had spent a good portion of the night having a screaming match with a new man she brought home. It had been a brutal one. Arianna ended up getting beaten, and Demetria made sure both her boys were within arm's reach at all times. She wasn't going to risk that man coming into her bedroom to cause trouble.

Throughout the night, Demetria _maybe_ got a little over two hours of sleep. She couldn't bring herself to close her eyes if her mother and the man were going to be screaming and fighting all night. Demetria's youngest son, Yukio, had been a mess because of the commotion. He cried and whimpered, refusing to even close his _eyes_ for a moment. Demetria liked to think that it was because he was only six months old, but she wasn't stupid, either. Arianna knew how to make quite the scene if she wanted to. Itsuki, the eldest of the teen's kids, was able to sleep peacefully. It was because of his hearing issues that he could.

Slamming her hand on her alarm, Demetria grumbled as she got out of bed. Maneuvering carefully over Itsuki's sleeping form, the young mother went to check on Yukio. His crib was by the foot of the bed, with the six month old swaddled in as many blankets as Demetria saw fit. She wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. Peering over the crib, the young mother sighed when she saw Yukio's eyes looking back at her. He was struggling to keep them open, looking absolutely exhausted. Gently scooping him up, she cradled him against her chest and gently started bouncing. Demetria could feel him relax against her body, his head resting against the curve of her breast.

 _Thank God,_ she thought. He barely got to sleep because of Arianna the night before, which Demetria knew wasn't healthy in the slightest.

Looking back at the bed, the young mother's mouth pursed when she saw Itsuki still sound asleep. While she was happy _he_ could sleep, it did frustrate her a little. The two year old's hearing issues allowed him to filter out nearly everything, which Demetria was both saddened and thankful for. Sighing, the teen walked over to the bed and used her hip to nudge the mattress. Itsuki moved only a little, muttering a bit under his breath. Nudging the mattress again, Demetria watched as her eldest son turned his head slightly, his eyes cracking open. He looked almost confused, _startled_ that he'd be awoken at such a time.

Nodding her head, she did her best to motion for Itsuki to get out of bed. It was time for them to start the day.* No matter how early it was.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter, but make sure you leave some constructive criticism, okay? I'd love to know how to improve the story in the near future.**

 **Nothing in the OHSHC belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, the subplots I put in, and the shoes that I wear. If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Be sure to leave a random fact, if you want. It could be about something you've learned recently or something you've known about for a while.**

 **Thank you guys so much!**

 **Skye Dominguez**


	2. Chapter 1

_But I hope you get what you dyin' for_  
 _Be careful with me, do you know what you doin'?_  
 _Whose feelings that you hurtin' and bruisin'?_  
 _You gon' gain the whole world_  
 _But is it worth the girl that you're losin'?_  
 _Be careful with me_

-Be Careful; **from Cardi B**

* * *

Demetria managed to get Itsuki out of bed, all the while holding a sleeping Yukio. The young mother was just grateful her eldest son was such a morning person, or everything would be a helluva lot harder. But once Itsuki was awake, Demetria led him to the bathroom. It was a morning routine for the three of them to get a quick shower in before starting the day. It was a nice little routine, and Itsuki seemed to genuinely enjoy it. He loved splashing the water in the shower, playing with his little toys in there when given the chance. Demetria was happy her son was enjoying himself, it warmed her heart just a _little_.

 _Yukio_ seemed to be the complete opposite of his half-brother. He wasn't much of a morning person, and anyone who attempted to wake him up would have to deal with constant crying. Arianna didn't like it when either of her grandsons started crying; it sent her over the edge. Demetria did her best to protect her sons from her mother and the boyfriends, but she could only do so much without getting hurt herself. If the teen got hurt in any way trying to protect her boys, then that would leave the toddler and infant exposed to whatever bullshit Arianna's boyfriends would bring.

Upon entering the bathroom, Demetria managed to close and lock the door without any trouble. Yukio shifted a bit in his mother's arms, giving soft whimpers as he continued resting his head on his mother's chest. Itsuki was bouncing all over the bathroom, his hazel eyes wide with excitement.

Adjusting Yukio so he was being held in one arm, Demetria gently tapped on Itsuki's shoulder. The two year old looked up at his mother, hazel eyes gleaming happily. Motioning for him to get undressed, Demetria started preparing a little preparation table for Yukio. Once the table was complete, sitting safely on the bathroom counter, the young mother felt a tug on her pant leg. Glancing down, Itsuki was undressed, holding one of his favorite shower toys. Sighing, Demetria gently placed Yukio in the prep table and went over to the shower. Turning the nob, she waited a moment until the water was warm enough for Itsuki to bathe in. Gently picking him up, Demetria placed him in the middle of the shower where the water was coming down.

 ** _You'll be okay?_** Demetria signed. The young mother learned basic sign language to communicate with Itsuki, hoping she'd be able to teach him _some_ form of communication as he got older. It proved to be useful in the end; Itsuki refused to talk, only managing small grunts and sounds, but no words.

Nodding, Itsuki smiled at his mother.

With a smile of her own, Demetria gently brushed her son's damp auburn hair out of his face. **_I'll be back in a moment,_** she signed. **_Don't hurt yourself._**

Going back to where Yukio was, the young mother got him out of his pajamas, which startled him awake. When his eyes opened, tears welled up and his bottom lip started quivering.

"Shhh," Demetria soothed. "Don't cry, Yuki. It's okay. Shh."

The six month old let out a wet hiccup, a little bit of snot running down his nose. Frowning, Demetria got some toilet paper and carefully wiped the snot off of Yukio's nose.

"Will you behave for mama, Yuki?" she whispered, gently stroking his cheek. "Huh? Will you?"

"Ma. . .," Yukio gurgled.

"That's right, sweetie. Will you be good?"

The tears remained in his eyes, but Yukio didn't cry out at all. A feeling of relief came over Demetria at that. She couldn't believe that he was willing to cooperate with her. Getting his pajamas fully off, Demetria threw it in a clothes pile in the corner of the bathroom. She knew she'd have to take the pile to the laundromat soon; it was getting too high and starting to smell up the bathroom. Taking his diaper off, Demetria scrunched her face up a little. Yukio was known to have _extremely_ disgusting dirty diapers. Not even Itsuki's diapers had been that bad.

When he was all cleaned and changed, Demetria gave her son a kiss on the cheek before picking him up. Going over to check on Itsuki, she smiled, seeing him happily play with his toys. Waving her free hand, the young mother managed to catch her eldest son's attention.

 _ **Time for soap and shampoo,**_ she signed. A slight scowl came on Itsuki's face. **_You want to be clean, right?_**

Letting out a disinterested huff, the two year old continued playing with his toys.

Rolling her eyes, Demetria made sure to adjust Yukio before opening the shower curtain enough to get Itsuki's soaps. The two year old did everything in his power to ignore what his mother was doing, but he knew he could only hold it up for so long.

Sitting down on the edge of the shower, Demetria placed Yukio on the ground, letting him crawl around while she focused on Itsuki. Grabbing her older son's forearm, the young mother motioned for him to stay still while she washed him. He did what he could to maneuver out of his mother's grasp, but she wouldn't allow it. Demetria knew that Itsuki didn't care for the actual washing a shower was for; he thought it was an extension of playtime. When he tried one last time to yank himself free, the teen gave him a sharp look; one he knew very well. That look meant he'd be punished if he did anything else.

For the next couple minutes, the young mother washed her son while trying to keep Yukio from places he shouldn't be in. It was a difficult task, but she had become better at multitasking. Yukio was a curious child, wanting to get into everything; Itsuki was very playful and mischievous, wanting to see how many buttons he can push before getting in trouble. That didn't make him a bad kid, though; maybe a little difficult at times. When he was cleaned and rinsed off, Demetria turned the shower off and yanked a towel off the bathroom door's hook. From the feel of it, the teen knew that it'd have to be washed, too; it was starting to smell a little rank.

Quickly drying Itsuki off, Demetria kept the towel wrapped around him as she went over to pick Yukio up. He was starting to go towards the dirty clothes pile; and the last thing the young mother wanted was to dig him out of something like that. Picking him up, Demetria placed the six month old on her hip while she held onto Itsuki's' hand. Opening the bathroom door, the trio were about to go to their bedroom when Arianna's voice rang out.

"What the hell took you so long?" Her voice was slurred, possibly from a hangover. Maybe she was already drinking again. It was had to say, really.

"I was giving Itsuki a shower," Demetria responded, her tone cold. Her relationship with her mother was pretty much nonexistent, considering how horrific the teen's upbringing had been. To make matters worse, Arianna took no responsibility for what she'd done to her daughter. Years of enduring abusive boyfriends and neglecting both her daughter and grandchildren* — it was unacceptable.

There was a scoff before Arianna started talking again. "The brat's wasting all the hot water," she grumbled, stumbling into the hallway. There were bruises and cuts littering Arianna's face and arms. Her clothes were disheveled and her hair was matted. There was an obvious glassiness in her eyes, showing she was probably drunk or high. "Isn't that right, huh? That's all those brats do — waste, waste, waste."

"And why does that bother you, ma?" Demetria said curtly. "It's not like you use the shower anyway."

Scowling, the older woman rolled her eyes. "They're about as useful as you," she barked, her body trembling. "Bunch of good for nothing freeloaders! I don't even know why I had you!"

Without another word, Demetria led her and her children into their bedroom. Arianna was no threat to them, especially after a beating. She was weak and exhausted, trying to use her words to bring others down. Demetria spent sixteen years listening to her mother's insults, and after so many years, she'd grown numb to them.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Demetria had Itsuki and Yukio dressed in only a couple minutes. During that time, the young mother had time to think. She'd spent too long living with her mother, witnessing the men who came and went as they pleased. Demetria's sons didn't deserve to grow up in such an environment. It wasn't fair to them. Chewing on her bottom lip, the teen mother felt butterflies in her stomach, her heart skip a beat. It was a thought that came and went over the years, but it was even more prominent after the birth of Yukio. The idea of leaving her mother and starting over. It'd be amazing, to be in a healthier, safer environment.

A hint of a smile came across Demetria's face. A better living environment. She'd be able to finish school, not work so much while trying to take care of her children. The teen had to drop out of school after her second pregnancy; she only worked odd jobs to earn enough money to survive. If Demetria could get out, get away from her mother, then she'd be able to finish high school and enroll her kids into a good school, too. That would be the biggest relief ever.

 _You used to dream about this,_ Demetria thought. _You used to dream about being taken away, being brought into a new family who'd love you and protect you. That hasn't happened. But you've got your own family, two little boys who rely on you._

That thought brought up a sensation, a kind of determination. Demetria spent so long accepting that she'd be stuck with Arianna forever. There'd be no way out of the cycle of abuse. But she was starting to see an end. Itsuki and Yukio were enough of a reason to get out. They deserved the childhood their mother didn't have. It was their time to actually _be_ children.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Arianna Galanos came to Japan for a change of scenery. She'd been raised in Greece, to Romani parents who seemed to be suffocating her. While Greece was a _very_ beautiful country, Arianna wanted to see something new. She wanted to experience life outside of her city, away from her parents and siblings. Japan seemed like a good start. At twenty one, she had enough money saved up to go to Tokyo, to go from motel to motel, all the while sightseeing and trying to build a home for herself.

The dreams of a twenty one were old Romani-Grecian — it felt almost invincible. Until she met him.

By the time Arianna reached her twenty second birthday, she met a Japanse businessman named Sora. He was charismatic, which caught Arianna's attention. Not only that, but he paid attention to _her_ , something that hadn't happened on Greece. Sora and Arianna had a relationship that lasted a little over a year, and when news of a pregnancy was announced, everything changed.

Arianna thought telling Sora the truth about her pregnancy would bring them closer. She had wanted a family for so long; she couldn't think of _one_ reason as to why things would change between them. But. . .the news didn't sit well with Sora. He didn't like the idea of being a father, especially with a foreigner. He knew the problems that would arise if his family found out about Arianna, but now he had a baby to worry about. The Tsukamoto family had an immense fortune, and if word got around that the only son of the family patriarch fathered a bastard child, it would bring the family to shame. Sora tried explaining that to Arianna in the best way possible, but she wouldn't listen. She became enraged that he didn't want the child, that he'd be willing to leave her high and dry.

By the end of the day, Sora was gone. He severed all contact with Arianna. In his mind, he was doing the right thing. By disconnecting himself from Arianna and the child, he'd feel no responsibility, no guilt.

Arianna, however, couldn't let go of her anger. She felt humiliated, thinking someone like Sora Tsukamoto would be interested in her. It felt as though her life was falling apart, that everything she'd hoped for by coming to Japan had been ruined. Arianna blamed the child for her relationship failing, for her life completely changing.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

With Yukio and Itsuki dressed, Demetria was finally allowed the opportunity to freshen up and dress herself. She had to quickly leave her room in order to get what she needed from the bathroom. Arianna was still conscious, mumbling to herself in the living room. Demetria knew she had to be as quiet as possible so she didn't catch her mother's attention. Considering how disoriented her mother was, the teen knew it'd take a lot to really get her attention.

Once everyone was dressed and ready, Demetria made an effort to fill a duffel bag full of clothes. She knew she had to leave, and she was willing to do whatever was necessary to fulfill that goal. The sudden surge of determination was unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Demetria didn't think she'd ever have the courage to leave, to be able to find a better life for herself. It was a heartbreaking reality. But the thought of her children having to be exposed to such toxicity was something Demetria couldn't stand. She _wanted_ her kids to be safe, she _wanted_ them to have a good education, and staying with Arianna wasn't going to give them that.

 _ **Mama, what are you doing?**_ Itsuki signed. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching his mother pack their belongings. Yukio was in his crib, looking at his mother curiously. When Demetria didn't see Itsuki's question, he clapped his hands to get her attention. Her head snapped in his direction.* _**What's going on?**_ Itsuki signed.

 _ **We're going on a trip,**_ Demetria signed. _**I have to pack our stuff.**_

Itsuki pouted a little at that. He was a smart kid, Demetria knew that, but she had to remind herself that he was still two. There were plenty of things he couldn't quite understand. For instance, he didn't know the reasoning behind the trip. All he knew was that they were leaving. Demetria didn't have it in her to explain the situation. Turning back to Itsuki, the young mother sighed. He was fiddling with his shirt, his auburn hair unruly and his eyes looking almost sad. Crawling over, Demetria gently lifted Itsuki's face up, giving him a small smile.

 _ **Why don't you take one toy with you,**_ she suggested. **_That way the trip will be extra fun._**

A bright look came into the two year old's eyes. That lifted Demetria's spirits just a little. He ran over to where his toys were piled up and started looking through them, trying to find the perfect one. While he was distracted, Demetria went over to where Yukio was. The six month old was lying on his stomach, his deep brown eyes looking at his mother curiously. He'd been making little gurgling noises for the duration of the time, occasionally giggling at little things Demetria did. Gently stroking the copper brown hair on top of his head, the young mother smiled down at him. Itsuki and Yukio were the two best things that ever happened to Demetria. They were her entire world.

And she finally grew enough of a backbone to try and protect them.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter! Hopefully you guys enjoy it. Let me know if there's anything that could use improvement.**

 **The OHSHC fandom does not belong to me. All I own are my OCs, the subplots I put in, and the laptop I'm typing on. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, don't hesitate to let me know, okay? I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Also, it'll probably be a while before Demetria is introduced to the Host Club. But for me, I'd like to know how you guys want that to happen. Should Demetria be introduced to them all at the same time, or on separate occasions? Leave a review on what you think.**

 **Thank you guys so much.**

 **Skye Dominguez**


	3. Chapter 2

_You don't know what it's like_  
 _To walk a mile in my shoes_  
 _You don't know what it's like_  
 _To rule kingdoms that bow to you_  
 _These streets are paved with blood_  
 _And gold 'cause these are dark hours_

-Take What's Mine; **by Future Royalty**

* * *

Demetria spent a good while looking for all the necessary clothes she and the boys would need. She filled the duffel bag nearly to the brim with clothes, not wanting to leave an article behind. She also knew, however, not to overdo it. Demetria didn't want to risk bringing too many things and putting herself behind in her escape. What good would it be to leave Arianna if she couldn't even get far enough away?

 _Stop overthinking it,_ Demetria thought, shaking her head a little. _You'll drive yourself crazy if you keep doing this._

Letting out a soft sigh, the young mother chose to look through her duffel bag to make sure she had everything she needed. She didn't want to forget anything that could potentially be important. Once she went through the bag's contents, satisfied with what she had, Demetria started looking through other personal belongings. She wanted to make the trip as comfortable as possible, for her and the boys.

Quietly walking over to her drawer, she opened the bottom compartment and took out a wad of cash. Through the odd jobs she'd worked, Demetria made sure to save up as much money as possible. It was one of the most important things for Demetria, having enough money saved up. Quickly counting the cash, the young mother shoved the wad into her front pants pocket before looking through her other drawers. Taking out a few other things that she'd need, Demetria shoved it into the remaining space in her duffel bag before hurrying back to the bathroom. There were a few other things that she had to get, involving the personal hygiene of her and her sons.

 _You have to make this quick. If Arianna catches you, you'll be in big trouble._ It was a bit unsettling, but Demetria knew that her mother couldn't do much. She relied heavily on verbal assaults, very rarely did she ever use physical means of intimidation. After she finished getting what she needed, Demetria rushed back to her bedroom and put the hygienic items in the little pockets in her duffel bag.

Glancing over at her sons, Demetria took the time to observe them. The time it took the teen to fill her duffel bag, the two young boys had fallen asleep. Itsuki was curled up on the ground, laying on his side with his thumb in his mouth. That was a very bad habit of his, sucking his thumb. Yukio had fallen asleep on his stomach, his bottom lip stuck out in an adorable pout. A small smile came across Demetria's face. Zipping the bag, she stood up with a sigh.*

 _Let's get this over with._

 **-0-0-0-0-**

It took a lot of effort to get Itsuki and Yukio awake without them causing trouble. She had woken the two up early in the morning, it only made sense that they'd be a bit tired. But if Demetria had any plans of getting her and her children out without her mother noticing, then they'd have to be as well-behaved as possible. The only good thing would be her mother being so intoxicated that she couldn't physically do anything.

 _But what if a man comes over?_ * Demetria thought. _There haven't been any other men coming in and out all morning. . .that has to be progress, right?_

For Demetria, she _definitely_ saw that as progress. If no other men have been coming in or out all morning, that meant the young mother and her children could sneak out without anyone really attempting to stop her. Of course, Demetria knew that none of her mother's boyfriends would give two shits anyway. The teen knew those men were focused on other things than a young mother of two.

Itsuki mumbled tiredly, looking up at his mother confusedly.*

"It's okay, sweetie," Demetria whispered, kissing her son's forehead. "Can you be my brave soldier for me?"

The confusion stayed on Itsuki's face, his eyes clouded with exhaustion.

Shaking her head for a moment, Demetria placed her index finger over her lips, hoping her her son would get the message. She knew both her children were smart, and were bound to catch onto the little hints she gave them.

Letting out a huff, Itsuki crossed his little arms over his chest, his bottom lip sticking out into a pout.

Rolling her eyes, Demetria focused her attention on Yukio. He was going to be the real challenge.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Arianna dealt with plenty of asshole men in her lifetime. She felt as though she didn't know any better. Demetria's father had been an ass, and every single man afterward had been about the same, if not worse. Arianna's dream life had been snatched out from under her the _second_ she became pregnant. Her life came undone when Demetria's father chose to leave. Everything seemed to be a complete and utter mess. For Arianna, she believed she didn't have to hold any responsibility. The reason her life was falling apart was because of everyone else. Demetria's father left her pregnant and alone — that was _his_ fault. All the abusive men that Arianna allowed in her life — it was because of her daughter that they kept coming in.

Every little part of Arianna's life that was _wrong_ was because of everyone else. That's why she believed wholeheartedly she'd dealt with plenty of assholes in her time.

But maybe there was something about all that blame that Arianna just wasn't seeing. Probably something she wasn't _understanding_.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Yukio was being difficult. He'd fallen asleep, obviously, but when Demetria tried picking him up, he wouldn't cooperate. He was wiggling around, whining and grunting angrily and tiredly. For Demetria, she was becoming frustrated. Itsuki was doing okay so far, but she could tell that he was going to be a handful already. Now she had to deal with her six month old son not wanting to be held. Why did it suddenly have to be so difficult to leave? Why couldn't it just be easy for a change?

 _I'll just have to wing it,_ Demetria thought bitterly. _I don't have time to deal with Yukio's temper tantrums and Itsuki's attitudes._

It was true. If Itsuki was barely wanting to pay attention, with his pouting and wanting to cross his arms over his chest, then Demetria knew he'd be going into one of his attitudes. For the young mother, she could become _extremely_ overwhelmed when those moments happened. She didn't want to deal with her sons misbehaving, but she couldn't expect them to be obedient 100% of the time.

Throwing the strap of her duffel bag over her shoulder, Demetria picked Yukio up in one swoop and held him tightly to her hip. He was starting to whimper, in moments he'd be crying. That was to be expected. Yukio didn't like being woken up, just like he didn't appreciate mornings. There were so many days where Demetria wished her youngest son could just _try_ and act like his half-brother in the morning. Even for a little bit.

 _It'd make things a helluva lot easier,_ Demetria thought. _That much's for sure._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **For starters, I know it's taken a while for this to be put up. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take so long, but I've been so overwhelmed with other things I had to put this off for a little bit. But that doesn't mean you guys can't leave constructive criticism where you think it's due. I'd love to know what you guys think could use improvement.**

 **OHSHC does not belong to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the clarinet in my room. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to leave a review or PM me. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Be sure to leave a random fact in the review section. I'd like to know what kinds of things you've learned recently or have even known about for a while.**

 **Thanks a bunch, guys!**

 **Skye Dominguez**


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